For the year to the end of April 2015, sales of softwood landscaping products totalled 150,537 m3, their highest annual sales volume ever recorded. Of interest is that year-end sales have operated in a tight band for more than six months, supported by persistent and stable sales recorded from December 2013 to August 2014.
From September 2014, monthly sales volumes rose sharply and rose again in October 2014, to a record 17,142 m3. However, they fell just as quickly in early 2015. All of this data is displayed in the chart below.
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As was described in an earlier analysis in this edition of Statistics Count, the ‘year-end’ data displays a record and indeed, for the month of April, 2014 was also a record. In April, sales of softwood landscaping products totalled 11,783 m3, up 7.1% compared with the sales recorded for April 2014.
Analysis shows that in the short term, the likelihood of further year-end records are modest. A new record in May 2015 would, for instance, require the fourth highest ever level of monthly sales, at 12,893 m3. While that is within the range recorded across the last year, it is unlikely to be met.
Regardless of the records and prospects of them being met or exceeded, sales of landscaping products will remain high, driven by continuing strength in housing commencements, and of course, demand from those living in new houses, built in the latest boom.
